NEWS & EVENTS

Presentation

Dr. Norma Betz, retired Vice President of Student Affairs, has completed her recent sabbatical leave and compiled a report on her project, “Why a One-Stop at Ocean County College?”  Dr. Betz will attend Thursday’s meeting to give a brief presentation on the efforts made to establish a one-stop center, the HUB, at OCC.

The one-stop project was conceptualized back in 2013 when it became apparent that students were discontent with the services offered by the College and the procedures and processes required to utilize them.  A study was undertaken in 2014 to evaluate the operation of OCC’s student services, after which work began to establish a one-stop center to provide additional support and improved communications with the goal of assisting students to achieve academic success.

Dr. Betz will share with you the early stages towards the implementation of the HUB, and she will acknowledge the outstanding commitment by so many individuals who contributed to this project to improve student services.

Veterans Day

OCC will commemorate Veterans Day on Friday, November 9, 2018, at 12:00 noon, at the Veterans Memorial, on the campus mall.  Participating in the event will be the U.S. Marine Corps League, the OCC Concert Band, and the Toms River American Legion, Post 129.  A reception will follow in the lobby of the newly renovated Instructional Building.  Please join us as we pay tribute to our veterans.

Center for Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Education

Following Thursday’s meeting, at 2:00 p.m., the official opening of the Center for Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Education will take place in the second floor clock tower room in the Library.  The Center’s initial exhibit is “Modern Genocides:  Why We Can’t Remain Silent in the Face of Hatred, Violence, and Ethnic Cleansing.”  Information regarding the Center’s future initiatives and upcoming events will be available.  Posters, books, and a small display of oil paintings depicting life in Eastern Europe before the Nazi Holocaust will be available for viewing.  Coffee and a dessert bar will be offered.

Finance and Administration

• Sara Winchester, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration, attended the NACUBO Global Operations Forum on October 16 and 17, 2018, in Denver, Colorado. Topics discussed at the forum were related to OCC future operations in Egypt, including:
• Detecting and preventing overseas compliance risks
• International human resource and benefits issues
• Foreign banking and cash management practices

Planning and Budgeting Council

The college-wide Planning and Budgeting Council (PBC) has completed the hearing process for the FY 2020 budget.  All organizational units of the College have presented their budget requests; the Council members will now vote to prioritize the list of requests.  The PBC’s recommendations will then be forwarded to the President’s Leadership Team for review on December 17, 2018.

College Relations

Grants

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded OCC a $2,491,257 Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant. The purpose of this grant is to:

1. Enhance student success and retention through improved academic advising, expanded academic support services, and an enhanced early alert system;
2. Initiate academic coaching for pre-nursing students and first-time, full-time students interested in health sciences;
3. Expand degree offerings in the health sciences field;
4. Improve instruction through structured and expanded faculty development opportunities on proven academic strategies and other topics responsive to the needs of the faculty and students; and
5. Strengthen fiscal stability by increasing enrollment and retention.

OCC is one of 13 community colleges selected for the Community College Opportunity Grant Program (CCOG). Funding of $250,000 has been awarded by the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education to support the implementation of the CCOG Pilot Program.  Once underway, student aid will be awarded to eligible students through the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

An eligible student will receive a “last-dollar” grant, which will cover any remaining costs of tuition and approved educational fees after applying all other financial aid grant awards to the student’s account.  For the spring 2019 Pilot Program, students coming from families with adjusted gross incomes between $0 and $45,000 will be eligible for CCOG awards.

TV Studio

• Mr. Ralph Bertini, Television Production Director, and Mr. Lee Kobus, College Lecturer II in Humanities, met with representatives from Central Regional High School to discuss the OCC Digital Mass Media program and its transition to the Adobe suite of products. Information and training related to the technical and system requirements were provided.   Mr. Kobus also led one-on-one training for an instructor on the software.  The combined workshop/meeting was well received and Central Regional is very interested in working with OCC’s TV facility in a joint project and eager for a workshop in studio lighting and editing.

The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts

Upcoming November shows include:

• Mandy Gonzalez – Friday, November 2, 2018
• San Jose Taiko – Sunday, November 4, 2018
• Stray Cat, Lee Rocker – Friday, November 9, 2018
• Max Weinberg’s Jukebox – Sunday, November 18, 2018
• Westminster Concert Bell Choir – Friday, November 30, 2018

Human Resources

• Carol Appleby, Recruiting Operations Manager, and Ms. Cindy Fallon, Human Resources Staffing and Recruiting Technology Specialist, partnered with Kean representatives and key stakeholders from OCC Academic Affairs and College Relations to organize the first joint Adjunct Job Fair, which was held on October 2, 2018, from 3 to 7 p.m. The Job Fair was designed to pre-interview potential hires and then invite those deemed qualified to formally apply online.  Invitations were sent out shortly after the event to 44 qualified candidates; the group is anxious to learn the number of hires resulting from the Job Fair.
• Lisa Gruber, Assistant Director of Employee Pension and Benefits, and Ms. Debbie Humphreys, Sr. Employee Benefits Specialist, conducted an Open House for Open Health Insurance Enrollment and held additional informational workshops to assist employees in making informed decisions regarding available benefits, including two new ZERO copay plans.
• Humphreys attended a Skillpath Seminar, “Managing Multiple Projects, Objectives, and Deadlines,” in Freehold, New Jersey, on September 20, 2018. The seminar focused on prioritizing workload, planning, improving personal effectiveness, power filing, and identifying real deadlines from fake deadlines.
• Tracey Donaldson, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources, attended the annual CUPA National Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, from October 7 to 9, 2018. Topics included campus civility, next generation higher education leadership, HR service transformations, the changing face of higher education, and finding and retaining talent.

Ocean County College Foundation

• The OCC Foundation hosted its 17^th Annual Golf Classic on October 9, 2018, and raised over $43,000 for unrestricted scholarship and special program support.
• The Foundation is pleased to report, with heartfelt gratitude, the receipt of $150,000 from the Estate of Jean A. Stirba, who passed away in April 2017. Stirba resided in Toms River since 1967.
• Mrs. Stirba was employed in the airline industry at Eastern Airlines and Northeast Airlines for many years.  In 1968, she worked for a market research firm specializing in all aspects of travel, located in the Chrysler Building, in New York City; and, in 1973, she became a New Jersey licensed real estate broker and opened American Heritage Realty in Toms River.  She served on the Board of Directors of the Ocean County Board of Realtors for many years and was voted Ocean County Realtor of the Year in 1986.
• The Foundation received payment of the $100,000 pledge from the Wintrode Family Foundation to bolster the offerings of the Blauvelt Lecture Series. Meetings continue with Joseph Konopka, Interim Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, on how best to link the Lecture Series and the first-year curriculum.
• Also received was an additional pledge of $75,000 from the Community Medical Center Foundation for the Health Sciences Campaign. This most recent gift will be properly memorialized on the outside wall of the second floor Main Classroom.

Purchasing and Payables

• Purchasing and Payables has completed the implementation of a fully compliant online Bid Portal, which allows vendors to register for email notifications of upcoming bid and request for proposal (RFP) postings. As a result, vendor interest levels can be monitored and information can be captured from the vendors, which allows notifications of updates, changes, and addenda of posted bids/RFPs to be sent directly to those vendors.
• The same service provider has worked with the department to launch a Contract Management (CM) System.  Office staff have back loaded the past two years of contract data into the system.  The implemented CM System has the capability to schedule notifications of impending contract end dates for the originating department and the Purchasing staff, which will avoid the expiration of contracts without having renewals in place when needed.  Currently, content is being compiled to provide instructional workshops for all departments.
• On October 26, 2018, Canteen celebrated the launch of its updated catering menu with a Tasting Expo in the Student Center. All administrators and staff involved with event and meeting planning were invited to sample the new offerings.  The new menu provides improved pricing structures and a 15% discount on all student-attended events.  The menu layout now mirrors the Catertrax online ordering system, which simplifies selecting and ordering items.
• Christine Healey, Director of Purchasing and Payables, attended the National Association of Educational Procurement District II meeting from October 14 to 17, 2018, hosted in Ocean City, Maryland. Sessions focused on developing teamwork with departments, increasing productivity with the College’s CM System, and improving the understanding by procurement and facilities of each other’s roles.

Security

• In accordance with New Jersey Public Law 2015, Chapter 220, and College Policy #2332, Reporting of On-Campus Criminal and Fire Events, attached is the monthly statistics report of crimes, fires, and other emergencies on campus for the reporting period September 19, 2018, through October 24, 2018.

Student Affairs

Advising

• The Advising Office hosted another successful Transfer Fair on October 2, 2018. Over 70 institutions attended, and about 300 students signed in with at least one admissions representative.  Laura Wills, Transfer Coordinator, organized the event with support from Ms. Carol Lynch, Senior Advising Technician, and Ms. Judy Salage, Administrative Assistant.
• Wills met with students to share information on the transfer process. She presented students with tools and information needed to explore colleges and discussed courses important for transfer.
• The following colleges are scheduled to visit the campus this fall: Centenary University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Rowan University, University of North Carolina – Wilmington, Grand Canyon University, Emerson College, and Bryant University.

Admissions

• The Admissions Office has rolled out the College Pathways Program to 12 Ocean County high schools.  As of October 24, 2018, over 100 presentations have been delivered to thousands of high school seniors, which resulted in tremendous feedback from the participating partner schools.  Phase two, Financial Aid and Funding Your Education, will begin shortly, and the Financial Aid Department is gearing up to deliver vital information and FAFSA workshops at the high schools.

• The Fall Open House will be hosted on Saturday, November 3, 2018, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Larson Student Center.  The Open House is a wonderful opportunity to connect with prospective students and their families.

Athletics

• Soccer – OCC had the honor of hosting this season’s Region XIX Division III Soccer Championship tournament on October 26 and 27, 2018. Eight of the best men’s and women’s teams from across New Jersey and Pennsylvania were welcomed to the OCC Stadium.  We were extremely pleased with the honor of hosting this prestigious event.
• The defending Region XIX champion and national quarterfinalist Ocean Men’s Soccer team had an up-and-down season.  The team finished with a record of 7-9-1, advancing in the Region XIX quarterfinals but coming up short in overtime in the semis.  The women’s team endured a tough season on the scoreboard but showed remarkable resiliency, finishing the season at 4-11.
• Cross Country – OCC’s cross country program performed well all season, consistently placing in the top ten among two-year colleges at every meet, even finishing 1^st and 2^nd against Division I and II opponents. The members’ hard work earned them high rankings in the Region XIX Championships at Delaware Technical Community College on Sunday, October 28, 2018, and the National Championships, on November 3, 2018, at Holyoke Community College.
• Women’s Tennis – With a new head coach and just one returning player from the previous season, OCC’s Women’s Tennis program completed a successful 5-5 season, finishing 4^th in Region XIX. Notably, all six team members were named to the 2018 All-Garden State Conference 2nd Team standings upon the conclusion of the season.
• Women’s Volleyball – Ocean’s perennial powerhouse Women’s Volleyball team had another sterling season, enjoying two separate six-game winning streaks as it defeated opponents both in and out of its conference. The team advanced to the Region XIX Championship this year, and it has been ranked high in the Garden State Athletic Conference in its last four seasons.
• The 2018 Fall Sports Awards Dinner will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. at the Ramada on Route 70/Route 9, Toms River, New Jersey. If interested in attending, ticket information is available from Darlene LaMonica, Athletics Office Coordinator.

Program Compliance

• Ms. Eileen Buckle, Interim Director of Program Compliance, attended the 2018 ATIXA Annual Conference from October 9 to 12, 2018.  The focus of the conference was on ensuring equity in the investigation processes for Title IX complaints.  Addressing Title IX concerns involving members of the LGBTQIAPK+ community was discussed since many sessions addressed concerns affecting this community within their presentations.

Center for Student Success

• The Center for Student Success now reports to Student Affairs. The Center will maintain all of its academic support service delivery as well as continue to support academic areas.
• All Testing Center personnel, along with Admissions and College Readiness, achieved their newly required ACCUPLACER Certificate of Test Administration, initiated by the College Board in September. Everyone in Testing has now achieved PearsonVue certification and recertification in advance of the October 31, 2018, deadline.
• Representing OCC on the Consortium of College Testing Centers (CCTC) and as a member of the National College Testing Association (NCTA) Distance Learning Ad Hoc Committee, Lorie Trachtenberg, Director of Testing, is participating in the development of a new CCTC policy to redefine membership requirements, establish reasonable policies and procedures to limit future NCTA liabilities, and establish a set of terms and conditions for Testing Centers wishing to join this group. Ms. Trachtenberg also attended the annual NCTA conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Michelle Thompson, Sr. Test Administration Technician, certified as a Test Administrator for Castle Worldwide Inc., ETS/Praxis Core, TEAS, CLEP and Comira.
• The Testing Center staff is working on the new ACCUPLACER Certificate of Test Administration (ACTA) to be completed no later than November 16, 2018.  This will be an annual requirement; it will also pertain to Admissions and College Readiness staff who administer the ACCUPLACER in high schools.
• Lorraine Fowler, High School Equivalency Assessment Coordinator, developed a new reporting format to provide additional demographic data requested by the Workforce Development Board of Ocean County.
• On October 24, 2018, Linda Verheyen, Academic Administrative Assistant, attended a presentation at St. Peter’s Church in Point Pleasant entitled “The Power of the Powerless,” about a child born with severe disabilities. She also participated in a webinar on October 18, 2018, entitled “Adaptive Services:  Claro Apps and Software,” applications that assist students with sight impairments.
• Laura Manresa, Academic Skills College Lecturer II, is co-teaching an e-learning section of the STSC course for the Ain Shams University/OCC partnership.

Academic Affairs

Honors by Contract

• OCC students have been very successful in the Honors by Contract Program.  Started in the fall of 2014, the program enrolls approximately 85 students per semester who are seeking a more rigorous classroom experience.  During the summer of 2018, a video promoting the program was produced featuring Honors alumni who have benefited from the program.  The purpose of the video is two-fold; to be used as a recruitment tool to promote student participation and as a public relations piece to share with the Ocean County community.  This video is currently being shown on OCC’s TV station.
• Ms. Lynn Kenneally, Professor of Social Science, serves as the Coordinator of the Honors by Contract Program.  Mr. Bertini produced and narrated the video.  Dr. Antoinette Clay, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, will attend Thursday’s meeting to share the video with you.

School of Arts and Humanities

• Assistant Professor of Sign Language Kathy Basilotto announced that two OCC Sign Language Society board members have been asked to an Invitation Only Forum by NJ Deaf News (an online news organization run by Deaf individuals for Deaf individuals). The November 10, 2018, forum will address concerns regarding the escalating violence in our country, interacting safely with police, and seeking help to protect New Jersey’s Deaf community.  It is an honor for the club to be recognized by this Deaf organization, in addition to having two OCC Sign Club board representatives invited.  On November 5, 2018, at 6 p.m., the Sign Club will be hosting Mr. Rene Pellerin, Deaf-Blind comedian, who will be telling stories about his life experiences as a Deaf-Blind individual.  This event will be interpreted and is open to the public.

Additional activities include:

• Interpreter training program students Kate Tesch, Rubin Smyers, and Samantha Galletta interpreted for a matinee performance of Almost, Maine on Sunday, October 28, 2018.
• The Deaf Awareness Expo will be taking place on Friday, December 7, 2018, in the Student Center. Performances by Keith Wann (CODA – Child of Deaf Adults) at 12 p.m. and Mr. Crom Saunders (Deaf entertainer) at 1:30 p.m. will be taking place in the Grunin Theatre.  This event is free to the public.
• On Saturday, December 8, 2018, the ASL Holiday Rock and Roll Show will be taking place at the Grunin Theatre at 7 p.m.
• Communications and Theatre College Lecturer II Paul Chalakani had a very successful run of Almost, Maine in October. The OCC Theatre Company’s second production of the semester of the very popular Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhry, directed by Chalakani, opens Thursday, November 8, 2018, and runs Thursday through Sunday, November 8 through 11, 2018, and the following Friday through Sunday, November 16 through 18, 2018, in the Grunin Center Black Box Theatre.  The play won numerous awards when it premiered in New York City, including the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.  This production is sponsored in part by the Wintrode Family Foundation.
• College Lecturer II of Dance Catherine Mancuso welcomed the National Dance Troupe of Alexandria to her Modern Dance class on Wednesday, October 24, 2018. The company joined students for the class and shared their work and artistry.  Upcoming announcements include:
• The Dance Club will hold its Fall Dance Showcase on Tuesday, December 4, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Grunin Theatre. The evening will showcase student choreography by the club members as well as faculty choreography performed by the Modern, Ballet, and Jazz classes.
• Dance 2020 is moving forward with plans to hold a Jazz Dance Celebration in April of 2020 to celebrate the life and music of Louis and Gia Prima. The event will feature works by two top New Jersey Dance Companies, 10 Hairy Legs and Carolyn Dorfman Dance, as well as faculty choreography performed by OCC students. This event will showcase the opening of the Black Box Studio Theater in the new Performing Arts Academy building.
• Community outreach and workshops will be performed by OCC students and faculty throughout the County to bring dance education into the community at large.
• Adjunct Associate Professor of Music David Marowitz reported that the OCC Jazz Band is the subject of an article by jazz journalist/author/curator Sanford Josephson in the newest issue of Jersey Jazz Journal. The band will be performing at the Brighton Bar in Long Branch, New Jersey, on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.
• Assistant Dean Veronica Guevara-Lovgren was the keynote speaker for the 2018 National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at Middlesex County College. The presentation was a personal and scholarly exploration of what it means to identify as Latinx and the term’s potential to include and connect a greater range of individuals and identities to generate a more inclusive, hopeful, and loving community.

School of Business and Social Science

• Addictions College Lecturer II Jeffrey Lang received the International Coalition of Addiction Studies Educators (INCASE) 2018 Educator of the Year Award at this year’s National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) Annual Addictions Counseling Conference held in October in Houston, Texas. Father Edward Reading, Social Science adjunct faculty member, received the INCASE Life Time Achievement Award for his work in this field. INCASE is the founding agency of the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC), an accrediting body for addictions programs in higher education.  OCC’s addictions programs are currently accredited by NASAC.
• On October 1 and 2, 2018, College Lecturer II of Political Science Jason Ghibesi, in collaboration with the League of Women Voters, organized a Voter Registration Drive on campus.  Faculty from various schools assisted in this initiative. Through their efforts, 170 people were registered in time to vote on November 6, 2018.
• On October 23, 2018, College Lecturer II of Political Science Jennifer Barnes hosted Assemblyman David Wolfe on campus. Assemblyman Wolfe spoke with Political Science and Criminal Justice students about the law-making process in New Jersey and discussed upcoming legislation about the legalization of recreational marijuana in New Jersey.

On October 26, 2018, Ms. Barnes accompanied OCC paralegal students and participated in the 2018 Annual New Jersey Paralegal Convention in Iselin, New Jersey.  The convention is sponsored by the Paralegal Association of New Jersey and provides invaluable educational seminars and insights into the profession.

In her role as Director of the Governmental Affairs Institute at OCC, Ms. Barnes has been busy with a number of fall events:

• The 3rd Annual Ocean County Mayors’ Panel was held in the Gateway Lecture Hall on Thursday, October 25, 2018. Mayors from nine municipalities within the county discussed pressing issues in their respective communities.  The event afforded students the opportunity to ask questions of their elected officials.
• The Institute, along with Counseling and Student Development Services, will co-host an anti-smoking, vaping, and juuling event on November 5, 2018, at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the Gateway Lecture Hall. Speakers include Lauren Petraglia from the Ocean County Health Department, and Ms. Michele Buldo and Mr. Mike Capko from the DART Prevention Coalition of RWJ Barnabas Health. Students will learn about the dangerous consequences associated with the use of these habits.  Lunch will be provided courtesy of the DART Prevention Coalition.
• Lastly, Dan Trolaro, the Assistant Executive Director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling for the State of New Jersey, will discuss video gaming and gambling addictions among millennials and how those addictions can lead to more serious dependencies.  This event will be held on Thursday, November 8, 2018, at 2 p.m. in the Gateway Lecture Hall.

School of Nursing and Health Sciences

• Members of the Student Nurse Organization (SNO) and faculty participated in the annual Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, on October 21, 2018. The SNO Team raised $511 for the American Cancer Society to support breast cancer research.
• Ryan Smith, a student completing his final semester in the Nursing program, was the recipient of the $500 Barbara Forfar Nursing Scholarship awarded by Ocean Medical Center (OMC). The scholarship was established by OMC to recognize Ms. Forfar who served as a Registered Nurse within the facility. Each year the Barbara Forfar scholarship is awarded to a student currently enrolled in a Nursing program.
• SNO held a Zumba Fundraiser in the new Group Fitness Room located in the Hovnanian Health Sciences Building on October 3, 2018. Proceeds will assist SNO in offering scholarships to their peers during the Annual Pinning Ceremony.  A total of $100 was raised during this event.
• SNO hosted a Blood Drive on campus October 9, 2018. Sixteen individuals from across the campus community donated blood.  Students receive scholarship money based on the number of pints collected ($250 below 50 pints; $500 over 50 pints).
• Nancy Volk, MSN, RN, presented Test Taking Strategies, which is a program to assist nursing students to prepare for examinations administered within the program. The goal of this program is to increase succession rates on the required licensure examination to practice as a registered nurse.  A total of 34 students attended the program.
• A Pre-Nursing Information Session was held on October 19 and 25, 2018, for students who intend to enter the Nursing Program. Mary Fennessy, Director of Program Services for Nursing and Health Sciences, collaborated with representatives from the Advising Department and Kean University to provide key information regarding the program. Over 60 pre-nursing students registered to attend the session.

School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

• On September 26, 2018, the School of STEM hosted the monthly chapter dinner meeting of the Ocean County Society of Professional Engineers (OCSPE). OCSPE graciously invited OCC engineering students to attend the dinner meeting at no cost.  Associate Professor of Engineering Studies Neil Schiller was the guest speaker.  He provided tours of the renovated Instructional Building and invited their comments on engineering education.  The current OCSPE Chapter President and many of its current members are graduates of OCC’s Engineering program.  A lively discussion among attendees occurred both during and after the meeting.  A total of 31 engineering students attended the meeting, as did Katie Pyott, STEM Academic Administrator, and Ms. Karin Smith, Sr. Academic Affairs Technician, who provided assistance to the guests.
• On Tuesday October 16, 2018, William Rickert, Professor of Mathematics, and Ms. Kaaren Finberg, Associate Professor of Mathematics, co-presented an interactive discussion on Math Anxiety to OCC students. The presentation, held in the Instructional Building Lecture Hall, was well received.
• On September 22, 2018, Angel Camilo, College Lecturer II in Biology, Mr. Edmond Hong, College Lecturer II in Computer Studies, and students from the Makers Club attended the World Makers Festival in New York City. On October 20, 2018, Dr. Camilo, Mr. Hong, and students from the Makers Club and Computer Science Club presented at the annual Jersey Shore MakersFest held at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River.
• AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Ray LeChien presented to OCC Environmental Science students on Watersheds and Nonpoint Source Pollution. The students participated in a lively lab during which they learned the many sources of runoff water in the County and the deleterious effects upon the Barnegat Bay.
• OCC Environmental Studies students Amanda Michelski and Kassandra Kopanyi have completed an internship at the Ocean County Utilities Authority. The internship involved testing bathing beach water at the County’s ocean, bay, river, and lake beaches for bacterial levels.  The Ocean County Board of Health used their lab results in determining beach openings and closings from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
• OCC Marine Biology students toured the Fishermen’s Dock Cooperative in Point Pleasant Beach as part of their lab, led by the Co-op’s Dock Master. The presentation and tour focused on fisheries and sustainability.  Students identified species of fish and shellfish caught and witnessed packing and icing.  The finale was a group photo of the class taken with a seven foot tail of a 340 pound thresher shark that was netted that morning.
• On October 6, 2018, Instructor of Mathematics Krista Camilo and Assistant Dean Showalter attended the fall meeting of the Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges of New Jersey at Bergen Community College. The conference was also attended by faculty from ten New Jersey county colleges.  Camilo and Ms. Showalter attended workshops on the following topics:
• Multiple Measures for the New NextGen Placement Test
• Open Education Resources (OER)
• Growth Mindset in Mathematics
• Preparing Future Educators for the Math Praxis Exams
• Using the Graphing Calculator Tool, DESMOS
• Chemistry seminars were held on September 21 and October 19, 2018, by Mary-Ellen Rada, College Lecturer II in Anatomy; Dr. Maria Steblyanko, College Lecturer II in Chemistry; Mr. Vijay Ramdeen, College Lecturer II in Chemistry; and Mr. Scott Farrell, College Lecturer II in Chemistry. The seminar discussed synesthesia and cancer immunotherapy.

e-Learning and Learning Enterprises

• Trustee Robert Fall, Mr. Hatem Akl, Interim Associate Vice President of e-Learning and Learning Enterprises, Dr. Maysa Hayward, Assistant Vice President of International Programs, and I attended the 2018 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Leadership Congress held at the New York City Marriott Marquis on Friday, October 26, 2018.  Our presentation, Into Egypt:  Carrying the Mission and Culture of the Contemporary American Community College Model to Northern Africa, was offered as a Roundtable Discussion from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m.
• Although the Roundtable was lightly attended, we did get to share a great deal of information with those who participated in the discussion, among whom were Dr. Barbara Gaba, President of Atlantic Cape Community College; Ms. Carol Otis, Trustee at Bergen Community College; and Dr. Brad Tyndall, President of Central Wyoming College, who has Middle East experience.  We also had a great conversation with Mr. William Herbert of the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education, who is sponsoring a conference in spring 2019 we hope to attend.
• Courses continue to be developed, reviewed, and updated in preparation for the spring 2019 semester. New cohorts of online instructor training and master course developer training began on October 9, 2018, and October 23, 2018, respectively.
• The e-Learning staff will be gathering information to update the College’s online learning website page. Additionally, Examity, which offers secure remote proctoring services for distance learning students, will be utilized in a pilot program in spring 2019 with two MATH 023, Algebra Basics, sections.
• Maysa Hayward, Assistant Vice President of International Programs, reported that a series of student and professor trainings and workshops for the ASU/Ocean/Kean program were conducted in late September. The sessions included placement tests for Cohort 3 students, workshops for students in Cohorts 1 and 2, and professional development for onsite facilitators.

The OCC Egypt initiative now has 12 pilot programs.  Their curricula and possible four-year pathways were approved by the Egyptian Supreme Council as the official American Community College in Egypt curriculum and forwarded to the Prime Minister to include in Higher Education University laws on October 15, 2018.

Dr. Hayward completed two workshops for academic coordinators assigned by eight Egyptian universities.  The workshops presented information on the community college structure, governance, mission, bylaws, and professor/student expectations.

English as a Second Language, Round 2 of Administrative Control Authority students of English for Specific Purposes, began the first week of October and will be completed by the end of November.  A new pilot of English as a Second Language started for Mexico this fall.  Three of six English for Academic Purposes courses were designed for and are currently being taught to Kean/Ocean/ASU students as part of enhancing their academic language skills.

• As mentioned earlier, the National Dance Troupe of Alexandria, Egypt, performed on October 21 and 22, 2018. Sunday’s free performance was attended by delegates from the Egyptian Consulate and Embassy.  Monday’s free performance was attended by over 300 students from local elementary and high schools.